Redheaded Stranger: A Cowboy Love Story (Bluebonnet, Texas) by Amie Stuart Page A

can’t go back. Not any of us. It’s irreplaceable. If it weren’t for me, none of this would have happened."
    "That’s not true and you know it," His dad said. "We both made mistakes. And I’m sorry our mistakes drove you away, Alexander."
    Zander swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.
    "I lost seventeen years with my daughter, but I also lost ten years with you. That hurts more than you know, but I for one, am glad there are no more secrets in this family.
    "Now, we’ve got cows to feed, and I left you a pair of Tim's old boots on the back porch, so get 'em on and grab a decent jacket."
    * * *
    T hey spent most of the morning with Travis, riding around in the old ranch truck, bouncing across the fields, dropping hay and refilling the feeders. Travis talked the entire time, about his presents and his new pony sent to him all the way from his uncle in El Paso. Despite the chatter, Travis was a good helper who took his job seriously. Safe to say, the future of the Rockin’ B Ranch was assured in Travis’s hands—as much as he was Zack’s son, he reminded Zander of Ty at that age, always following his dad around and just absorbing everything. And Ty and Betti were right. His dad doted on the boy.
    Just like his dad would dote on Darrach given half a chance.
    As much as he felt like an outsider, the thought of his son missing out on this now bothered him even more. Maybe it was his dad’s apology. Maybe it was his apology to Delaney. They’d all paid heavily for his parents' sins, Delaney had lost out on a dad, but keeping Darrach away from all of this wasn’t much different.
    He'd needed to talk to Kei, so he’d sat down with her after they got back from feeding the animals and told her he didn’t know what to do. "For the first time in my life I feel...lost."
    "I love your single-mindedness, love your determination, I love your stubbornness, I even love that you’re a neat freak, but it’s not all black and white. Life is not all black and white. Yes, I’d take the job, but you’re more suited to it, even if you don't think so. Plus, let’s face it, you’re a native son and I'll always be an outsider—like that new mayor the sheriff was complaining about," she’d added with a grin. "Life is messy, Zander. You should know that by now."
    And now here they all sat in the living room watching the kids open presents. He looked around the room, noting Zack with Jessa on his lap, Ty and Betti cuddled on the couch while Delaney leaned against Ty’s leg and Rene leaned against her. A very cranky Aunt Susie had claimed one of the green wingback chairs and a very large cup of coffee. His dad played Santa while his Mom and Kei shared Darrach, who was wearing his very own flannel shirt—a gift from his mother who’d proclaimed that every boy needed a good flannel shirt. He caught Tim’s eye and his brother raised his own coffee cup and nodded as if he understood.
    Delaney looked up in that moment and caught him staring. He forced himself to smile and stand before it all got to him.
    Then he held out his hand to her. "We need a family photo. For the wall. We need a new family photo. Who’s got a camera?"
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    The End

D ear Reader,
    If you enjoyed this story, please consider taking the time to leave a review at Goodreads or on your favorite e-book retailer website.
    It would mean the world to me!
    Amie
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    R EDHEADED STRANGER is part of a special collection in honor of Loving Day. Other stories in this collection include KILT TEASE by Melissa Blue, GRIND by J. Hali Steele and ONCE WITH A COWBOY by Selena Illyria. I hope you’ll take the time to check them out.
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    A bout the Author:
    Warning: If you're expecting me to write something serious here, you will be disappointed.
    I can't say I'm one of those writers who always KNEW they wanted to be a writer. Nor could I say I've been doing it all my life, though I did find some old notes I wrote my mom eons ago-I